Students to return to Mendiola and continue anti-corruption actions, hang 20-foot streamer as pledge

June 5, 2010

August 24, 2009

Students from the Polytechnic University of the Philippines Main Campus today hung a 20-foot streamer as “vow” to return to Mendiola and to intensify mass actions against corruption in the Arroyo Administration.

Youth groups ANAKBAYAN, League of Filipino Students, Student Christian Movement, and the College Editors Guild of the Philippines held a lightning rally last August 19 near Malacañang to condemn the latest series of corruption scandals involving members of the Administration, including the Le Cirque and Bobby Van’s dinners. Twenty were arrested while seventeen were injured when elements of the PNP and the PSG (Presidential Security Group) brutally dispersed the rally.

ANAKBAYAN chairperson Ken Ramos announced today that youth groups will launch a series of activities August 28 as a follow-up to last week’s rally, including a street teach-in at the Plaza Miranda and another march to Mendiola.

“We are prepared to go head to head with Arroyo and match every new corruption exposition with protest actions” said Ramos.

He said that the Le Cirque and Bobby Van’s dinners were particularly disgusting to many youths when compared to how much the Administration spends in a Department of Education feeding program. Ramos quoted the pronouncement of Kabataan Partylist Representative Mong Palatino who said that an average of P21 per student was spent per meal.

He added that the sins of the Administration were too big to be covered-up so it has resorted to using violence to prevent protest actions.

“If you can’t fool them, beat them. This seems to be the new motto of Arroyo” said Ramos.

Meanwhile, he chided the PNP for its role in the dispersal, saying it went against their avowed slogan of ‘To Serve and Protect’.

“Who are they really serving and protecting? They should be doing their jobs, including arresting thieves like the one in the Palace” said Ramos.###